Speculation rife as Tubridy returns to RTÉ 1 radio slot

RTÉ has refused to say who will fill the slot left vacant on 2FM after Ryan Tubridy rejoins Radio 1 to present a new morning programme.

However, a spokesperson for the national broadcaster said Ryan Tubridy’s move had nothing to do with a falling listenership — the number of people tuning into John Murray’s programme had increased in recent months.

Mr Tubridy had presented the Tubridy Show on Radio 1 from 2005 to 2010 before moving to 2FM to fill the vacancy left by the death of Gerry Ryan.

He had been gaining listeners to his 2FM show in recent times. Making a success of the show was a big challenge — when Ryan died in April 2010 his show was immensely popular. His new show will start on Monday September 7 and will continue to be an hour long.

John Murray will be reallocated elsewhere on the programme’s schedule later this year. He broadcast his last show earlier this month and was replaced temporarily by Brendan O’Connor.

There is lots of speculation about who will replace Tubridy on 2fm — Nicky Byrne has been tipped to take over the slot, but so has Ray D’Arcy who has the 3pm slot on Radio 1.

Ray D’Arcy previously presented his own weekday morning show on Today FM since 2000 and had more than 215,000 listeners when he left to fill the Radio 1 afternoon slot previously filled by Derek Mooney.

Mr Tubridy said it was with “mixed emotions” that he was saying goodbye to 2FM and hello again to Radio 1.

“The last few years have been spent building a loyal and engaged listenership, thanks to the hardest working team in Irish radio; I am extremely grateful to them,” he said. “The recent increase in listener numbers is down to the team and I will miss them as friends and colleagues on 2fm enormously.”

The presenter of The Late Late Show also thanked 2FM listeners who texted, called, and emailed every day and were so generous with the stories and experiences that made up the fabric of the show.

“Now the story continues as I return to the Radio 1 world that I have always enjoyed and admired,” he said.

Mr Tubridy said he was aware that radio had become an increasingly competitive market, with 9am being the toughest slot of them all but he was up for the challenge.

Head of 2FM, Dan Healy, said it was appropriate that Mr Tubridy, who had been the programme’s lynch-pin, should leave on the back of recent very strong listenership figures.RTÉ Radio managing director, Jim Jennings, said the presenter had contributed greatly to the ongoing recovery of 2fm.

Tom McGuire, head of RTÉ Radio 1, said it was brilliant to be able to call on someone of Mr Tubridy’s talent to anchor a show.